Yale: Ruler

The Yale RULER program allows students to build emotional intelligence and learn how to eventually regulate their emotions. At our school students participate in daily check ins on the mood meter, and create a classroom charter the beginning of the year.

R.U.L.E.R. helps students to:

Recognize

Understand

Label

Express and

Regulate their emotions.

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DBT

This class is taught to selected 6th grade students during Titan Time and is a skills training for emotional problem solving. This curriculum was developed by doctors in order to teach adolescents effective emotional regulation, decision making, and problem solving skills. At West Prep the course is led by two child psychiatrists from Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, our school counselor and special education teacher. This team meets regularly with the principal to check in and address the needs of the students.

College Awareness

Every year during Titan Time 7th grade students explore several lessons surrounding the theme of college awareness. We survey students, learn about their interests and also have them research career paths and industries they are interested in helping them to develop a path to college. Students also get hands on experience by taking trips to universities, including a trip to Philadelphia where they visited several colleges, including an HBCU campus.

Titan Time

Advisory program - This course meets weekly for all students and includes a variety of weekly lessons based upon the developmental needs of our students.

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Over the years West Prep Academy’s Titan Time Advisory focuses on our scholar’s identity. With a foundation built in RULER and Restorative Practices we encourage our students to grow their understanding of themselves, their immediate community and the larger world.

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6th Grade Focus: Who am I? How do I feel? Why do I feel this way? How can I manage these emotions?

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7th Grade Focus: How do others feel? Why do they feel that way? How do I navigate relationships in order to respect the feelings of others?

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8th Grade Focus: How can I impact the world around me? How do current events impact me as an 8th grader?

Restorative Practices

These practices are spiraled into all Titan Time lessons, as well as throughout the school day to manage conflicts between students, staff, and even to address conflicts in the community. School support staff such as counselors, administrators, and instructors are trained in restorative practices and implementation. A parent workshop was also held in the winter teaching parents how we create safe spaces for our children, and how to implement restorative practices at home.